Electroplating.



H. N. GILBERT.

ELECTROPLATING.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24. 1915.

Lia-1613335 Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

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HARVEY N. GILBERT, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO AMERICANOPTICAL COMPANY, OF SOUTHBBIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY ASSOCIA-TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTROPLATING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Application filed April 24, 1915. Serial No. 23,678.

Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and.

State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electroplating, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for and the method ofelectro-plating, and has for its primary object to reduce the time andcost of the plating operation to a minimum and tofinsure against anywaste of the plating material.

Other objects as well as the advantages and improved features in themethod of operation of the invention should be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure I is a vertical longitudinal sectional viewthrough thecomplete' apparatus.

Fig. II is a horizontal sectional view on the line IIII of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a detailed vertical sectional view through one of theagitating fingers.

Fig. IV is a vertical sectional view through a slightly modified form ofagitating finger.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, wherein is illustrated theprinciple of the invention, 1 designates a receptacle or container of anon-conductive materiah-such as porcelain, glass, stone, or any othersuitable composition having near the upper edge thereof on its innerface an inwardly extending flange or rib 2. A second container 3 of anon-conductive material, such as porcelain, glass or the like, is placedwithin the container 1 and is held in spaced relation thereto by meansof the supporting rings 4-. which are connected by the ribs 5 and whichengage the. rib 2 on the container 1 and a rib 6 on the container 3 forsupporting the frame in its desired position. The container 3 ispreferably provided with a plurality of perforations or apertures 7whereby I trolyte 8 which is placed in the container 1 will also flow tothe interior of the container 3.

An anode 9 which -may he a platinum,

gold or carbon plate, or any other suitable the elec-.

of the. anodes 9 may be provided and that these anodes may be eitherplaced within the receptacle 1 or within the receptacle 3, as has beenillustrated in Fig. I of the drawmgs.

A cover 11 is provided for the container 3 and has extendingtherethrough a spindle 12 on the outer end of which is mounted theoperatin handle 13. While I have shown the ban le 13 for rotating thespindle 12, it will be understood that any other desired means may beemployed for obtaining the rotation of the spindle, and, therefore, I donot Wish to limit myself to any particular method of operation.

Secured to the lower end of the spindle 12 k are a plurality of fingers15 which are of a non-conductive material and which extend downwardtherefrom in staggered spaced relation. These fingers preferably havetheir lower ends arranged in varying spaced distances from the bottom ofthe container so as to efl'ectively agitate the articles to be platedupon rotation of the handle 13, and at the same time stir up and diffusethe electrolyte 8, the articles to be plated being adapted to be placedin the container 3 so as to be engaged by the fingers.

The fingers 15, and spindle 12 are hollow and are adapted to receive thewires 16 which carry at their lower ends the cathode contacts 17.

Before proceeding with the description of the operation of the devicejust described it may e Well to state some of the disadvantages of theapparatuses heretofore used for electroplating, and some of theadvantages which the present invention possesses thereover.

One of the most commonly used of the old processes for electro-platingwas to string the articles'to be plated upon a suitable wire frame andto submerge the same withthe articles thereon in the plating solution.It will be readily apparent that this was a very tedious, time consumingand expensiveoperation, and possessed many disadvantages.

' Another one of the generally used apparatuses for electroplating wasto provide a basket of gauze or any other suitable ma. terial, in whichthe articles to he plated were placed,and to immerse the basket with thearticles therein in the bath or solution until the same was suitablyplated. @ne of ale laces said first container in which the articles tobe plated are placed, an anode, a cathode, and positive means for movingsaid cathode relative to the article whereby the articles will beagitated and the electrolyte difiused;

6. An electro-plating apparatus including a container in which anelectrolyte is placed, a relatively stationary perforated containerwithin said first container, in which the.

articles to be plated are placed, an anode, and a rotatable cathode forconstantly engaging dill'erent of the articles to be plated whereby theelectrolyte will act on all of said articles and whereby the electrolytewill be diflused and the articles uniformly covered.

7. A device of the character described, including a receptacle having aperipheral flange or shoulder near the upper edge thereof, a ringresting on said shoulder, a perforate container fitting centrally withinthe ring and having an outwardly extending shoulder interlocking withythe ring, whereby the perforate receptacle is suspended in thecontainer by the ring, a cap platelfixedly carried by one of said parts,and a rotatable stirring member carried by the capplate and havingexposed cathode contacts on the lower end thereof located within andnear the bot tom of the perforated receptacle, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY N.- GILBERT Witnesses:

CAenoLL BAILEY, JOSEPH J, Dnrvrnns.

